Friendship Matters More Than Rivalry
by Vampire Tails
Summary: A long time ago, Knuckles' Tribe, the Trickster Clan, was killed off by Vampires. And now, when Knuckles thought that the Vampires have been extinct for over thousands of years, he finds out that one of his friends... is one of them. Rating may change.
1. Prologue

Friendship Matters More Than Rivalry

Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog or other material from Sega. (Although I wish I do) The only thing I own is the story!

2000 Years Ago

The Trickster Tribe and the Vampires have been at war for some time now.

The castle of the Trickster Tribe was under attack by the Vampires.

This castle is home to Princess Tikal and Prince Jango.

They are seen fighting off the Vampires, trying to cease their attack.

"Tikal, it's too dangerous for you! Take our baby and find somewhere to hide!"

Tikal, not wanting to leave her husband, said,

"I won't leave you, Jango!"

"Please, the baby is what they are after. I know that this is hard, but you must go. Heck, they are after us too, but especially the baby. Now go! I will try to hold off their assault!"

"… Okay… Be careful!"

"I will! Don't worry about me!"

Tikal ran to the throne and picked up the baby.

With one last look at Jango, she bolted out of the throne room.

On the land of the Vampires sat a giant, dark castle and it too, was under attack, but reversed.

A sky blue hedgehog, known as Queen Donnie, was seen sitting in the throne room, holding her baby in a black blanket.

A small, gloved hand tugged on Donnie's clothes as she petted the baby.

"Guard, status report!" Donnie demanded, being careful not to make the baby cry.

A green and white hedgehog came out of the shadows.

"*gulp*… we were unable to cease the Trickster Tribe's attack. They are now heading your way…" The guard braced himself for whatever the Queen would throw at him.

Surprisingly to the guard, the Queen did not do nor say anything that would hurt him.

The guard regained his posture, confused, but relieved.

"What do you suggest that I should do?" Queen Donnie asked, rather quietly.

"You should get out of this castle. If you don't, well, the Trickster Tribe _will _put an end to you and your baby."

Donnie looked at her baby, its Emerald Green eyes staring at her happily.

"Okay," The Queen got up, "Promise me that you will take good care of the castle, and the clan."

"I will, my Queen."

Donnie nodded at him, and then bolted out of the throne room.

Back to Tikal…

Tikal ran through the grassy terrain, panting wildly, looking back occasionally.

The baby echidna stared at her with its violet eyes, a serious expression on its face.

Suddenly, Tikal tripped over a rock, letting go of her baby.

"NO!"

Tikal picked herself up quickly and ran under the baby, holding up her hands.

The baby let out a small cry.

Tikal caught the baby.

"Whew!"

Tikal looked at the baby.

The baby echidna was smiling, clapping its small, gloved hands. (A/N: Male Echidnas don't grow claws on their knuckles until they are age 5. However, female Echidnas don't grow them at all.)

Tikal smiled at this, and then kept moving, looking where she walks/runs from now on.

Back to Donnie…

Donnie ran through the grassland, keeping her head down so she wouldn't trip on anything.

The baby stared at her with its Emerald Green eyes, with a smile plastered on its face.

Queen Donnie dodged many rocks as she ran.

The sky blue hedgehog ran as quickly as she could, away from the castle that she used to call home.

Donnie skidded to a halt and took off her necklace.

This necklace was rare, as it was made from very expensive gold and its gem would change its color from time to time.

Donnie carefully put it around her baby's neck and clipped it together.

When she was done, the baby clapped its small, gloved hands, as if happy to receive it.

Donnie smiled at this, and then kept moving, being on the lookout for danger.

Back to Tikal…

Tikal changed her pace to a walk and looked at the baby.

The baby echidna was still staring at her.

She looked at the golden bracelet he was wearing; the color of the gem was changing from time to time.

Finally, Tikal saw a safe house in the distance.

Happily, she ran toward it.

When Tikal reached the safe house, she saw the door was open.

"Huh?"

Tikal peered in, and she regretted it.

Red eyes were in the darkness.

Tikal stepped back, then ran away from the safe house.

"(Looks like the safe house isn't so safe anymore!)" Tikal thought, as she was being chased by two of the Vampire Tribe's guards.

"There she is! Get her!"

Back to Donnie…

For what seemed like hours, Donnie finally reached the safe house.

"Yes!"

Donnie ran toward it and saw that the door was open.

"Why is it open?"

Donnie peered in and saw some eyes.

"WHOAAAAH!!" Donnie slammed the door and ran for her and her baby's life.

The Trickster Tribe's guards punched the door, broke it, then rested for a second before chasing after her.

"There she is; don't let her get away!"

Back to Tikal…

Tikal reached the river.

"O magical river, heed my call. Flow in the direction of the Green Hill Zone."

The river changed its direction, going right (or east?). (A/N: If you have a compass, can you tell me what right and left really is: in direction sense? If so, I will happily change this. =3)

"It is not safe for you anymore. Not here, not now."

Tikal put the baby in a magical basket.

"Farewell Knuckles the Echidna…"

Tikal cried and put the basket on the river and watched it float away… away from her… away from the Vampires… and away from Angel Island.

Back to Donnie…

Donnie reached the river.

"O magical river, heed my call. Flow in the direction of Station Square."

The river changed its normal direction, going left (or west?).

A magical basket appeared at her feet.

"It's not safe in Angel Island anymore."

"Farewell my cobalt hedgehog…"

Donnie cried as she put the basket on the river and watched it float away… away from her… away from the Trickster Tribe… and away from Angel Island…

Author: End of Prologue! Next chapter is when Knuckles and the cobalt hedgehog are 5 years old! Don't go away! Tell me what you think. Whoever answers the question in the summary will get a cookie!


	2. 5 Years Later

Friendship Matters More Than Rivalry

Disclaimer: I do not own Sega's material, nor am I the boss of Sega.

Sonic's POV…

It is my 5th Birthday today, June 22nd, and my parents threw me a party!

When I walked in, it was dark, so dark I thought that nobody was here.

I thought that people forgot that it was my birthday, so I cried.

When I turned the light on…

"SURPRISE! HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY, SONIC!"

"WHOA!" I put my hand over my chest, "You actually 'membered my birthday! I thought that people forgot about my birthday…"

"Now… why should we forget about your birthday?" Mom asked.

"I dunno…" I replied.

There was an awkward silence, until…

"Anyway, let's get this party started!" Amy Rose shouted.

"Yeah!" I cheered as the other people cheered.

(A/N: Now that we saw how Sonic is doing, let's see how Knuckles is doing.)

Knuckles' POV…

I am trainin' in a fightin' center.

They took care of me and raised me as their own.

They trained me 'til I got good, very good.

But, enough 'bout that.

I jus' wanna ask one simple question…

"HOW IS MY BIRTHDAY GONNA BE SPENT?!"

"Knuckles, calm down… the tradition states that…"

"I don't care 'bout tradition! All I care 'bout is how my birthday is slippin' away from me and I am not doin' anythin' to celebrate it!"

"But…"

"There are no BUTS in a conversation such as this one! It's 4:00p.m and I am ready to celebrate my birthday!"

"Uh oh, do I hear an angry voice over here?" A voice said.

I turned to the voice, forgettin' all 'bout my anger.

"W-who are you? Show yourself!" I shouted, raising my clawed fists.

"My, my, my! Well, isn't this a warm welcome!"

A white bat came out of the shadows.

"Rouge, there you are, tell this… this knucklehead that the traditions state…"

"Hey! Who you callin' a knucklehead, knucklehead?!" I interrupted, gettin' in a fighting pose.

"Why I oughta…" Sensei got in a fightin' pose, too.

"Oh, so I see you wanna start somethin', eh?"

"STOP IT YOU GUYS!!" Rouge got in between us.

"What?!" Sensei and I growled.

"First of all, Sensei, there are no traditions! You made 'em up!"

"Of course, there are, in this rule book, it states that…"

Rouge snatched the book from him, and tore it up.

"This is the old book, honey. They updated it. Here is the new one."

Rouge handed him the new book.

Sensei chuckled evilly, ready to prove Rouge, his most skillful student, wrong.

"See, right here on pg 12, it says here about traditions… there aren't… any traditions…" Sensei's smile disappeared.

He looked up at me and saw that my face was redder than normal, my right eye was twitching and steam was, literally, comin' out of my ears like a kettle when it was ready to serve the hot tea.

Yep, you guessed right, I was as mad as a bull when it saw red.

The bat stifled a chuckle, knowing where this was going.

"Oh… well… oh my, look at the time! I must be on my way!" Sensei inched his way to the door before bolting.

"GET BACK HERE!!!" I exploded, runnin' after him.

"AHHHHHH!!" Sensei screamed

"COME BACK HERE, OLD MAN! YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR LYING TO ME!!" I yelled at him, chasin' him all throughout the Zone.

Rouge just couldn't hold it in anymore, so she laughed.

"AHAHAHAHAHA!! AHAHAHAHAHA!! Knuckles doesn't play. Try to remember his birthday, okay? Better yet, celebrate it!"

Sonic's POV… 

That was the greatest birthday party ever!

I played with a blue toy car that I got for this very special day.

"Vrooom… rrrrr…"

I was makin' all kindsa car noises and boy, did I have fun!

Well, it was kinda borin' without someone to play with.

I know, I have many friends, but, I want a special friend. A friend who would be there for me even if he would die helpin' me.

That's the kinda friend I would want to have.

I touched my necklace and smiled…


	3. Some Birthday

Friendship Matters More Than Rivalry

Me:*Sigh*… I'm soooo tired of saying the disclaimer…. Hey, Sonic?

Sonic: Yeah?

Me: Can you say the disclaimer for me?

Sonic: What's in it for me?

Me: … I'll give you a cookie?

Sonic: Good enough. She does not own Sega, nor does she own me. Although she is my best friend.

Me: Good boy! Here's a cookie!

Sonic: *Eats chocolate chip cookie*

Me: Now, on with the story!

(A/N: This whole chapter is in Knuckles' POV.)

I sat on the wood floor of the Center, watchin' the rain pound on the window.

I was disappointed that my birthday turned out this way.

"Some birthday this turned out to be…"

I turned to the clock.

"(Hmph… 11:30p.m… 30 more minutes and my birthday will be gone… Great… Jus' great… and I didn't even do anythin' to celebrate it…)"

"Pssst… Knuckles…" A voice said, rather quietly.

"Huh? It's probably nothin'…"

"Knuckles…!" The voice called again, louder this time.

I ignored the voice, resuming my daily program of, "How disappointed I am for lettin' my birthday wither into nothin'."

A head popped out of the shadows.

"Knuckles!"

"AHHH! OH!" I fell backwards, "WHAT WAS THAT FOR, ROUGE?! WHATCHA TRYIN' TO DO, GIVE ME A HEARTATTACK?!"

"Sorry… I got a present for you."

"What is it, an extra pair of shoes?" I asked with bitter sarcasm.

"Ha ha ha… very funny!" Rouge said with the same amount of sarcasm.

Rouge handed me the present.

I took it and ripped it open.

Inside was a red toy car.

"How… how did you know I wanted one of these?"

"Well, you did say that you wanted a toy car a million times, so I took it upon myself to buy you one."

"Thank you…"

"No problem… It was a steal!" Rouge said with a wink.

"Maybe this birthday wasn't a complete loss after all.)" I thought, looking at the red toy car.


End file.
